Traditionally the content broadcast by media outlets has been determined virtually without direct input from consumers of the content. Throughout this specification, “media” may refer to any form of information transmission, for example radio, television, other communication using electromagnetic waves, cable, and/or computer transmissions. Throughout this specification, “users” refer to any consumers of the content, including listeners and viewers of the content.
As a consequence, users typically have been presented with only limited ways of promoting participation or providing participation in a broadcast environment. Instead users have had only limited interactive options, typically functioning as passive consumers of the broadcast. Additionally there have been no or very limited opportunities for users or groups of users to personalize their broadcast media consumption experience. Instead, the broadcast environment has been a static experience, almost invariant to its consumers' activity and/or enthusiasm. There exists a need to make the broadcasting user experience more dynamic by enhancing user participation.